Kurtyna nad morzem 2019

Lech Jankowski's "Kurtyna nad morzem," realized in pencil, presents us with an interplay of form and symbol, dominated by vertical lines evocative of a curtain or perhaps rain. Consider how the motif of the curtain, present here, appears throughout art history, often as a symbol of concealment or revelation, a threshold between worlds. These stark vertical lines create an ambiguous space, simultaneously revealing and obscuring what lies beyond. The sea, typically a symbol of the unconscious and the infinite, is here reduced to a series of dark waves. Think of the veils in Klimt's paintings or the drapes in Renaissance portraits—each uses fabric to suggest hidden truths or emotional depths. Here, the curtain-like lines above the sea engage in this long lineage of symbolic representation. The subconscious processes of the artist and viewer alike engage with these symbols, drawing on collective memories and emotional associations to make sense of the image. We are left to ponder what this curtain conceals or reveals about our own inner seas. The symbol is not static but rather a cyclical progression, resurfacing and evolving.